The whole Avakoum monastery scandal was conjured to cover up an unpaid loan Tamasos Bishop Isaias took from the monastery and only partially paid back, defence lawyer Kostis Efstathiou argued on Monday before the Nicosia criminal court.

Efstathiou, who is defending monk Nektarios, said Isaias had initially borrowed €155,000 from the monastery and later other amounts totalling €225,000, but only returned €40,000 of the total amount. Isaias, the lawyer added, should be summoned to testify.

The abbot council then decided to report Isaias to the church’s synod, leading to the creation of the Avakoum scandal for Isaias to avoid paying back the loan. “This is the essence of the case,” Efstathiou stressed.

On trial are monks Nektarios and Porfyrios. They face charges including conspiracy to defraud, forgery and the use of false documents, theft by proxy, handling stolen goods, money laundering, interfering with judicial proceedings and submitting fraudulent tax returns.

Efstathiou was cross-examining prosecution witness father Dionysios Koptides, who said he was not aware of the amount owed or of any document signed for its return. He also said he did know of any amounts collected in churches to help fire victims in Greece. He also said he did not know or could not remember or had not heard of other payments, trips abroad or communications.

Asked about his post calling people to come forward with any complaints about the Avakoum monastery, the witness said he had acted on instructions received from Isaias.

Koptides added that in his day nothing of the sort had ever happened, but following the “big scandal” they were obliged to do so.

The witness said the post brought in many complaints and that further information was requested to assess the situation. These complaints, he added, were handed over to the police in 2024.

When asked about minutes kept, Koptides said he took them and Isaias looked them over.

Asked about archimandrite Varnavas, the witness said he knew him but disagreed that he had been living at the monastery as a guest for a year. He was a monk there, he explained.

According to Koptides, Varnavas was the one who had access to the CCTV from his mobile phone. This access, the witness said, was given by the Avakoum abbot. The footage, he added, was delivered to Isaias but he could not remember when.

The witness furthermore said Varnavas had been deposed and was living at the monastery as a monk.

Efstathiou then showed the witness a minutes’ document concerning seven cheques worth a total of €18,000 paid by the accused for services and other outstanding invoices, with Koptides recognising some of the names as people offering services, such as painting and carving icons. Koptides said he did not know who had compiled those minutes.

The witness also said it was odd that the money had been deposited into the monks’ accounts for them to settle debts and not directly to those who were owed money.

Efstathiou asked the witness if he was aware of a piece of land in Lythrodontas with a chapel dedicated to saint Avakoum, to which Koptides replied in the negative. He was also asked if he knew of any plans to erect a multi-purpose charity centre in Lythrodontas. Again, the witness said he did not know, adding that it was also none of his business to know.

The next hearing will be held on November 2 at 9.30am, during which Efstathios Efstathious – lawyer for the second defendant – will cross-examine the same witness.

Further hearings have been set for November 9 and 11 at 9.30am. The one set for November 4 has been cancelled.